Latex paint is no longer made with styrene-butadiene latex or natural rubber latex, and most brands (if not all) should be safe for those who have to avoid natural rubber latex proteins.
Nevertheless, I asked the most eco-friendly paint brands if they are free of natural latex and I have reported on that below.
The following polymers (binders) used in contemporary paint are “latex” when speaking of paint:
- Acrylic polymers (this is what the majority of “latex paint” contains as the binder)
- Vinyl Acetate Ethylene (VAE) – Farrow and Ball paints use this binder and in some sub-lines, they use acrylic as well
- Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA) – this is usually used in specialized primers
Alternative non-latex binders used in specialty paints include:
- Casein (from milk) is the binder in milk paints
- Linseed oil is the binder in some specialty linseed oil-based paints (like Allback)
- Potassium and sodium silicate are the main binders in mineral paints (like Kiem), but these brands also contain plastic latex binders in small amounts
In terms of which brands are definitely free of natural rubber latex, I’m reporting below on what I’ve heard back from each company.
The information is only as accurate as what the company reps told me in their emails.
Be sure to double-check if you need to go to great extents to avoid natural latex.
This article contains affiliate links, upon purchase I earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
ECOS Paint
An ECOS Paint rep said in an email that their paint does not contain natural latex.
This is the top pick for zero-VOC paint among the chemically sensitive.
Their Declare Label for this 100% acrylic paint lists the ingredients.
AFM Safecoat
This acrylic paint is the next favorite choice amongst the chemically sensitive.
The owner of AFM Safecoat said in an email that their paint does not contain natural latex.
Milk Paint
Milk Paint is made with casein (this is the binder), natural pigments (earth oxides), lime, titanium dioxide, and in one brand, clay.
The Real Milk Paint brand comes in powder form and the company said it’s free of natural rubber latex.
Buy Milk Paint through Amazon.
Zinsser
The Zinsser site says:
“Paint and Latex Allergies: Latex allergies are to natural latex proteins, and it is to the natural proteins to which latex allergies are relevant. Latex paint isn’t derived from plant materials but is made from synthetic resins, and therefore persons with a latex allergy are at no increased risk from being exposed to latex paint.”
Kiem Interior Wall Paint
A rep for the company said in an email there are no latex allergens in the Kiem Mineral Wall Paint.
Silicates are the main binder but mineral paint brands also contain acrylic or other latex binders.
Allback Linseed Oil Paint
Allback lists their ingredients and they said in an email it’s latex-free.
The binder is linseed oil.
Farrow and Ball
I did not hear back from the company about this question.
The binders are VAE and acrylic in some sheens.
Benjamin Moore
Benjamin Moore EcoSpec provides a Declare Label of their ingredients but I did not hear back from the company about this question.
The main paint article goes into much more detail on the composition of each paint and their suitability for sensitive populations.
Corinne Segura is an InterNACHI-certified Healthy Homes Inspector with certifications in Building Biology, Healthier Materials and Sustainable Buildings, and more. She has 10 years of experience helping others create healthy homes. You can book a consult here.
Join the top Substack on healing from MCS and mold!
Emma
I’m allergic to both natural and synthetic latex. I actually have the worst reaction to synthetic verses natural. I’ve recently had to give up painting houses as a side hussle because my reactions to the paint have gotten so terrible. do these brands contain any synthetic latex? are they just claiming to be free of natural latex? I have yet to find a brand that I don’t have a bad reaction to, but I’d love to be able to return to painting.
Corinne Segura, Building Biologist
It depends on what you are referring to by synthetic latex, if you are allergic to all acrylic, VAE and PVA that doesn’t leave any conventional paints, but only with linseed or milk paint.
(this list is about natural latex).
caspar
Be careful in claiming that latex free is the same as synthetic latex. If even .01% is real latex then the allergic response is still there. I have had allergic reactions to fake and real equally since the same chemical causing the product to be made is in both. The human body is allergic to the chemical equally. I am allergic to all plants. I am allergic to carpet, drywall, caulk, anti-fungals, I am allergic to beef and dairy. I am allergic to soy. I am allergic to dawn. I am allergic to the sun and sunblocks. I have had allergic reactions to wheat paste. I am allergic to all but hard plastic and glass. So I need a paint that has no allergens which does not exist. Theoretically.
Corinne
I’m not claiming that “latex-free” only refers to synthetic latex.
Jonathan Farrar
Hey Corinne,
Thank you so much for providing this wonderful article. I just moved into a new house, and the paint isn’t in too bad of shape, do you think it is safe to just leave the paint even though it isn’t most likely a clean paint or is it always better to paint over old not so great paint with a new cleaner paint? Thank you 🙂
Corinne
The majority of water based paints now are 0 or very low VOC so it’s likely to be offgassed if it’s been there for a few months or more and I would leave it.